Raspberries and blackberriesDelayed dormant sprays

Red-necked cane borers

CommentsCharacteristic injury is a swelling of the cane, about 3 inches long, with a splitting of the bark. Infested canes are weakened and often die. Remove and burn infested canes in early spring.

Anthracnose

A key pestor pest complex

Materialliquid lime sulfur

CommentsApply to canes when leaves are emerging from buds and before the blossoms open. This spray may damage the new leaves if they are longer than 0.75-inch long.

Raspberries and blackberriesPrebloom sprays

Apply when blossom buds first appear through when flowers show white.

Red-necked cane borer

A key pestor pest complex

Materialpyrethrins and rotenone

CommentsSee comments in "delayed dormant" section. Adult beetles typically appear when flowers show white. Newly formed swellings can be seen in July and August.Apply insecticide when bloom begins and again 7 to 14 days later. Direct spray to lower part of the primocane and avoid spraying the blossoms.

Raspberry crown borer

Materialpyrethrins and rotenone

CommentsInfested canes become spindly, lack vigor and often break off at ground level. Remove and destroy weakened or infested canes. Drench crown and lower 2 feet of cane with insecticide.

Raspberry fruitworm

CommentsGrubs tunnel into the center of the fruit to feed, may cause premature fruit drop. Adult beetles feed on foliage resulting in the leaves being skeletonized. Early developing fruit is more at risk than later developing varieties. Apply insecticide when blossom buds first appear and then again before the blossoms open.Neem (azadirachtin) is a botanical insecticide.

Blackberry psylla

Materialesfenvalerate

CommentsFeeding damage causes tightly curled leaf clusters. Such leaf clusters should be removed and destroyed immediately. Apply insecticide when this damage first appears (or first notice of adults).

Tarnished plant bug

Materialmalathionor esfenvalerateor permethrinor insecticidal soap

CommentsDamaged berries are malformed, and the whitening of a damaged druplet occurs when mature fruit are attacked. If needed, apply sprays just before the blossoms open and then again when the fruit start to color.Controlling weeds in and around the planting helps to reduce tarnished plant bug populations.

Raspberries and blackberriesPostbloom through harvest sprays

Spotted wing drosophila

Materialspinosad

CommentsFall-bearing bramble cultivars are particularly susceptible. Insecticide treatment should begin when fruit first begins to color and continue through harvest. For more on SWD, see Lincoln University Cooperative Extension publication FS18A2013, Monitoring for Spotted Wing Drosophila (PDF).